Nick Carraway, a young Midwesterner, moves to Long Island and becomes entangled in the lavish world of his mysterious neighbor, Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire obsessed with a lost love. Set against the backdrop of the Roaring Twenties, the novel examines wealth, desire, and the elusive promise of the American Dream, establishing itself as a cornerstone of modern American literature.
Try these questions
- What are the central themes or motifs in The Great Gatsby, and how are they developed throughout the story?
- How does Jay Gatsby’s character evolve, and what drives his actions and aspirations?
- How does the novel reflect the social and cultural atmosphere of the 1920s in America?
- In what ways does Fitzgerald’s narrative technique, especially the use of Nick Carraway as the narrator, influence the reader’s perception of events and characters?
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald